Not Another Travel Journal
Practical and Useful Gifts for the Traveler You Love (or picked for the office gift exchange)
Practical Gifts Don't Have to Be Boring
You all know and love a traveler (other than, or in addition to, me) and often you want to support our passions with well intended and thoughtful gifts.
I see in a lot of travel forums, or am asked personally, “What is a great gift for <insert loved one> who travels all the time!?” or commonly well intended gift givers will ask the perfect travel themed gift for newly weds, a young traveler headed off for a gap year, a sibling who runs the world wild and free that you just want to spoil (Ahem, Allison) .
While every traveler is different and every gift is always appreciated, I often scratch my head at some of the suggested gifts or “must haves for any traveler” lists and wonder WHO is using that?
There is nothing better than a thoughtful, kind gift… except a thoughtful, kind, practical gift. While a $300 travel coffee grinder is lovely, for most it isn’t practical and not something most travelers would carry (unless they are a very niche subset I do not belong to).
Others that likely don’t belong to the travel coffee grinder, travel kettle, travel steamer, travel tri-fold vanity mirror subset include: backpackers, light packers, new travelers on a budget, long term travelers.
I think some general thoughts when choosing a gift for a traveler are:
Will this add bulk or weight?
Is this something that can be used on multiple trips to varying destinations (if not gifting for a specific trip)
What type of traveler is this person? Are they a minimalist, luxury traveler, backpacker, all-inclusive vacationer?
What is THEIR style (not mine)
What is the BEST gift you can give a seasoned traveler? Or just someone setting off on a first trip, or getaway?
Money
Money is the most practical, useful, universal gift there is. I know, I know… money isn’t personal or “special”, but it is the most universally useful, and can be made fun!
For my birthday last year, friends knew I had a big trip coming up, so they started a “flight fund” and everyone contributed to cover the cost of my flight. That was the BEST possible gift; was meaningful, thoughtful, and very useful.
I also recently had a friend gift me a super cute change purse with “drink money” printed on it and inside were several 5 euro notes. The thoughtfulness, time and effort that went in to that meant SO much to me (and has already been put to good use).
Travel Gift Cards
Gift cards can be a bit more personalized than money. Travel and Leisure put out a list of their 2024 “The 50 Best Gift Cards for Travel Lovers” that has some great (and some head scratching) ideas and suggestions, but these are my tired and true, most useful gift card recommendations for any traveler.
✈️Flight Gift - “1 Gift Card for 300+ flights worldwide”
Personalized airline gift cards perfect for the travel lover in your life. Redeemable for 400+ major airlines to over 980 destinations, Flightgift offers a seamless travel experience with 24/7 customer service
Flight Gift cards are a great option for flyers who are not committed to one airline, or those you are unsure have loyalty to a particular airline.
🧳THANK YOU eGift Card - Perfect for globe-trotters, road-trippers and even staycationers, this gift will be at the top of their packing list with the option to spend on airfare, fuel, food or lodging
Formerly, the ‘Pack & Go’ gift card, this is one of my favorite gift cards both to receive and give because there are so many ways to use it, and it really is a “one-size-fits-all” gift. With so many ways to use it, it is impossible for this not to be a useful and much appreciated gift for anyone on your gift list.
🏠Airbnb - “Easy to Give, Easy to Use, Easy to Love”
Airbnb gift cards can be used for both accommodations and experiences (such as cooking classes, tours, boat rides, etc) so it is a great option for any traveler.
🏨Hotels.com - “Travel with Confidence”
With a huge inventory of hotels and accommodations, a hotels.com gift card gives the recipient endless options for stays.
This is also a great gift card to have on hand in the event of emergency, delays, or other unplanned stays.
🚗Uber or Lyft - Often the ride to and from the airport is a significant additional cost to a trip or travelers, also great to use at one’s destination
These, and many, many more useful travel gift cards are available directly through the sites, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Etc.
*Pro-tip: Prime Day and Cyber Monday often have cash back or promotions on gift cards. Costco and Sam’s Club often have travel gift cards at a slightly discounted rate, and AARP members can be privy to discounted travel gift cards though the AARP site as well.
Another way to make gift cards more personal and thoughtful is to ask about restaurants, spas, or attractions they will be visiting and purchase a gift certificate to cover the cost.
Travel Experiences
If money or a gift card still feels too impersonal, but you still aren’t sure about a tangible gift, there are so many amazing experiences you can gift your favorite traveler. Experiences and activities may seem like a splurge for some travelers, so receiving them as gifts provides that opportunity to enjoy them. The thought, planning and execution of these can also be so meaningful.
Here are some of my favorites I have received, given, and seen suggested
A photography session. These can be found in most locations on Airbnb Experiences. A photo session is a great gift for a solo traveler, couple, family, or friend group and also acts as a one of kind souvenir.
For the foodie friend or loved one, a cooking class or private dinner/chef experience can also be an amazing experience to gift. There are many options available on Airbnb Experiences, as well as through Viator.
Tours of all kinds can also be found on Viator, Airbnb Experiences, and Trip Advisor. There are so many tours out there for every unique interest from walking, history, cemetery, art, food tours… the options are endless. Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus tours (and similar) are also very popular and tickets can be purchased directly through the websites or via Groupon.
Tickets and entry fees are also really great gifts, especially because these fees and tickets can add up quickly depending on destination. Concert, sporting event, or show tickets can be found directly through venues, as can entry tickets to popular destinations, theme parks, museums, etc.
A massage or spa treatment can be a much welcomed gift. Whether it is at the hotel or resort someone is staying at, arranging for an in “home” (airbbnb, hotel, etc) treatment, or at a local spa, arranging a treatment for someone can be a very thoughtful and appreciated.
Many popular city destinations also have a City Pass that includes numerous entries, tours, activities, etc. This can be a great gift for anyone visiting these areas. Generally, the passes range from 24-72 hours and can be “activated” on a chosen date.
If cash or a gift card is too impersonal, or you are unsure of exact plans to execute an experience, or you just like something to wrap, here are some of my favorite travel items. Links provided for items I personally have/use as well as suggested items, and things on my own personal wish list.
Some items with contain affiliate links
Packing and Organizing
I received this set of packing cubes as a gift 6 years ago and have used them around the world.
These wire frame packing cubes make packing, organizing, and unpacking easier as they hold their shape and keep clothes from falling out. (*these are not compression cubes)
As someone who likes to unpack immediately, and have everything visible and accessible, this Bagsmart system is high on my wishlist.
A packable tote is one of the most convenient things for any trip. Whether for grocery shopping, beach trips, touring, day trips, etc having an extra bag always comes in handy. I like the crossbody style of this bag, as well as the option to use the handles, but there are tons of option available to fit any traveler’s need or style.
I stumbled upon these in the travel section of CVS and now swear by them for make up, jewelry, toiletries, medications, Band-Aids, electronic cords, and any and every “little” that I bring along. There are numerous sizes, sets and designs.
I purchased this for a friend an strongly considered keeping it for myself and re-gifting one of my many travel journals. This bag is a dream for anyone that travels with toiletries, make up, jewelry, or any other “littles”
This is another item that has been on my “when it is time to upgrade” list. I saw it in an airport bathroom and loved the easy and understated design. Calpak is known for durability and functionality.
As someone who hates buying travel size products, and likes to to bring familiar products with me, these are the perfect space saving bottles/pouches to decant in to. So far, leak proof!
Matador claims these are Best For: Traveling with fluids when space and weight matter, and the reviews and feedback seem to back that up. I am yet to take the plunge on these, but as soon as my Kitsch set no longer serves me, these will be my upgrade.
*The ‘soap bar case’ by this brand also gets rave reviews
Airlines are getting more and more strict with luggage weight and the fees are quite hefty for overweight luggage. This luggage scaled has helped me stay within weight limits and avoid those fees on numerous occasions.
Luggage
Luggage itself is always an incredible gift, but can also be something seasoned travelers are particular about.
There are many things to take in to consideration with luggage: weight, domestic v international dimensions and other restrictions, carry on, checked, single piece, sets, hard side, soft side, warranty, durability, suitcase, duffle, backpack, oh my!
These are my top luggage recommendations from personal experience, best rated, and highest on my own wishlist.
Backpacks
After my first few long-term travel experiences, I converted to a backpack and it was such a game changer! After using it for 3.5 months cannot say enough about this backpack.
The sustainability promise and ethical practices of the company make it even better.
For the ultra-light packer, or weekend warrior, the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L is unbeatable (except by maybe it’s counterpart, the Cotopaxi Del Dia)
If Cotopaxi is outside your budget, or the pack may not be used enough to warrant the Cotopaxi price tag, this pack is a great dupe.
Suitcases
There are seemingly ENDLESS options and so many things when it comes to luggage: from hard side versus soft side, practical versus luxury, size restrictions, weight, capacity, functionality, and so on.
These are some of the 2024 top rated suitcases, and my personal tried-and-true recommendations:
My suitcase “wishlist” will never change because this case may never die.
I have the 25” version and it has been around the world with me, borrowed by friends for their journeys, and just overall abused… and still looks brand new.
I am team hard-side luggage, but the big advantage to this case is that it is one of the lightest pieces available. This is beneficial for carry-on only travelers facing weight restrictions or just trying to overall lighten their load.
Travel Tech
Great gifts for the “Digital Nomad” you know and love! Even without traveling with work, most people are traveling with numerous electronics and an endless mess of cords and cables that often end up tangled masses in the bottoms of bags. Click images for more info on these useful organizers.
Traveling with laptops, tablets, phones, etc lends itself to endless cords, that are bound to turn into a tangled mess. This cord organizer from Bagsmart is a life saver when traveling with all the gadgets.
An AirFly has been on my wish list for a while. This handy gadget connects wireless headphones to the plane’s entertainment system for a wire-free, better listening, experience.
These run the gamete from simple to complex with a huge variety of options. For a family, or tech-heavy traveler, the multi plug/port versions of these can be a life (or at least battery, saver).
*Some people swear by them, but I personally have not have good luck with the “cubes”
Lost luggage can quickly derail a trip and be a huge source of stress and frustration (and lost time) so be sure to pop an air tage in your luggage and always know where it is.
I also saw a genius hack to leave an air tag in the rental car to assure travelers were able to find their way back to it in unfamiliar places.
There are so many options for portable chargers. The key, for me, is it being compact and light weight, as well as having numerous ports.
For the solo traveler that wants to capture all those selfies or couples, families, friends that want all those group pics, or budding influencer, this is a great portable gift to help capture all those moments.
Perfect for the budget traveler who may be on flights without entertainment, or those that prefer to watch downloaded movies or read from their phone.
Travel Toiletries
Though there is hope on the horizon that the (mostly) universal 3-1-1 carry on rule is getting tossed out the plane window, many travelers still want to save as much space and weight as possible, and streamlining toiletries is a great way to do so. Many companies also working toward reducing waste and the negative footprint left my travel size products.
I cannot rave about Kitsch products enough. They have products for all skin and hair types, are environmentally friendly and are super packable. This sampler set is a great way to introduce solid products to any traveler.
Another plug for Kitsch, because this also looks like a perfect gift for your favorite traveler (if you need my address, just let me know, I will pretend to be surprised)
HiBar is very highly, and frequesntly, recommended by travelers who use solid of bar shampoo and conditioner. The brand is also highly rated amongst ethical and sustainable travelers.
For traveler who have converted to shampoo, conditioner, face and/or body bars, these cases help them last long and avoid leaks and messes in luggage.
My skin FREAKS OUT when I travel, I swear I get on a plane a grown women and exit a 12 year old with a full face of puberty. This set works miracles on getting my face back in to shape quickly.
There are many different brands and styles of these little kits. They are perfect for any traveler and come in very handy.
*Marshall’s, TJMaxx, etc usually has some really sets
A few years ag, a friend gifted me Laura Mercier caviar eye shadow sticks and I was an immediate convert to “stick” make up. It is much more compact, doesn’t break like powder can, and travels really well!
*Only word of caution is select airports (looking at you, LHR) may consider these “liquid”)
If you love a bearded man (don’t we all), this is that perfect travel kit to maintain those perfect facial tresses while traveling.
*The Matador Soap case is a great addition to this set
Though marketed towards men, this is a great travel kit for anyone, especially the “cold shower” towels that are perfect for long flights, lay overs, or going directly from plane to party.
This set is perfect for any traveler to combat “travel skin” that often happens with flying, train travel, changes in water density, etc. This gentle and natural set is great for all skin types, which makes it a great gift.
This counts as a “toiletry” because, well, it is for the toilet. The 2oz bottles or 10ml sprays are perfect for anyone sharing a hostel bathroom, traveling in a group, or on their first romantic get away.
*Also great for any traveler that gets “plane tummy”.
Fun Littles (For the traveler that already has everything)
Normally, this is the kind of thing I would stay away from, since it has a short “use life” and is single purpose, but the fold up design of this is great and takes up little space when not in use.
Staying hydrated is vital while traveling, but often bottles of water are bonkers expensive (and not the most environmentally friendly). There are many different types and styles (at varying price points).
I probably could have avoided some very harrowing experiences if someone had put this in my stocking years ago… just saying. This collapsable version is perfect for any traveler.
*Bonus: for every LifeStraw product purchased, a child in need receives clean drinking water for a year
A small and compact, but sturdy umbrella can come in very handy on travels. My personal rule for a travel umbrella is that is should be about the size of a water bottle when folded, then I know it will fit in my cross body bag or in the side pocket of my backpack.
Where have these been all my travel life?? These genius bags are perfect for any traveler that considers wine (or whiskey) the perfect souvenir.
A compact blue tooth speaker, is a great gift for any traveler. Bonus if they are waterproof, extra small, and have a long battery life like this Sony model.
“Fastest & Easiest way to upgrade to a First-Class travel experience” this little kit has everything a traveler may want or need for a lengthy flight, layover, or party-to-plane trip.
